Previews: BROADWAY STAR OF THE FUTURE at Patel Conservatory - Straz

The Straz Center is gearing up to spotlight the brightest young talents of Tampa Bay at the Broadway Star of the Future Awards Showcase. On May 18, 2025, the event will shine a light on the dedication and passion of high school musical theatre performers, transforming their dreams into reality.

Inspired by the Tony Awards®, Straz’ Broadway Star of the Future Awards is Tampa Bay's premier regional program affiliated with the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA) or the Jimmy® Awards. Named after James M. Nederlander, a legendary Broadway theater owner and producer, the program will see two students win an opportunity to attend and perform at the Jimmy® Awards in New York, offering nominees the chance to work with professional directors, coaches, and producers, connect with agents and casting directors, and compete for various recognitions, including college scholarships. Students from across the nation participate, with each performing arts center selecting one boy and one girl to represent their district at the Jimmy®Awards.

Throughout the year, adjudicators meticulously reviewed performances from high schools that applied for the chance to participate: Alonso High School, Aubrey Rogers High School, Berkeley Preparatory School, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Bishop Verot Catholic High School, Braden River High School, Calvary Christian High School, Canterbury School, Carrollwood Day School, Clearwater Academy International, Clearwater Central Catholic High School, Clearwater High School, Countryside High School, Cypress Lake High School, Davenport High School, Dunedin High School, East Lake High School, Freedom High School Tampa, Gaither High School, George Steinbrenner High School, Gibbs High School, Gulf Coast High School, Harrison School for the Arts, Hollins High School, Howard W. Blake School of the Arts, Ida S. Baker High School, Jesuit High School, Manatee High School, Manatee School for the Arts, Newsome High School, North Fort Myers High School, Northeast High School, Northside Christian School, Osceola Fundamental High School, Palm Harbor University High School, Palmetto Ridge High School, Parrish Community High School, Plant City High School, Plant City/Durant/Strawberry Crest High Schools, Plant High School, River Ridge High School, Riverview High School, Shorecrest Preparatory School, Sickles High School, St Petersburg Catholic High School, Sunlake High School, Tampa Catholic, Tampa Prep, Tarpon Springs High School, The Community School Naples, The Out-of-Door Academy, Wharton High School, and Wiregrass Ranch High School.

“We overhauled our adjudications process this year to be far more rubric-based, which is in line with the Jimmys and other regional programs around the country that do what we do. Each reviewer scores a production or category based on specific criteria on a scale of 1 to 5, broken out into smaller subcategories, from acting to directing to technical elements. To be eligible for a nomination, they have to reach a defined numeric threshold. From there, adjudicators must assess which stands out as the best of the best that will reflect the region at our showcase and then at the Jimmys,” Ryan Began, the Theatre Department Manager at the Patel Conservatory, says. “We made it clear to our reviewers and the schools that they are not in competition with each other. The goal of the program is to have the schools constantly learning and get constructive feedback to grow their program within their given circumstances.”

Out of participating high schools, reviewers saw 85 productions and 250 students were nominated for awards in various categories, including best actor, actress, technical design, orchestra, and set design.

“This is a new record for us. We have more schools in productions this year.”

Of the top 12, the top two winners for Best Actor and Actress will compete in Jimmy®Awards, and ten others will receive scholarships to continue their arts education.

He shares, "This year we are doing a featured dancer number, which is new to our showcase. Usually, they’ve been honored with recognition, but this year in our rubric, we broke out the featured dancer category so that schools could be adjudicated on a particular dancer or dancers. The highest scoring was recognized as best featured dancer and will be featured in the opening number and a solo number. They’re often overlooked, so we thought it was important to recognize that."

Began highlights seeing a mix of musicals this year, from classics like Oklahoma and Into the Woods to contemporary Broadway musicals like Hadestown, newly released to high schools.

The Broadway Star of the Future Awards is more than an evening of performances; it's a launchpad for aspiring artists.

 “It’s about creative expression, honing their talent to be the best that they can be. This program is about saying loudly that the arts matter and that our young artists need to be seen and heard. The arts are under attack. Now more than ever, programs like Broadway Star of the Future really matter across the country. Budgets are slashed, curricula narrowed, and expression is being politicized. We want to recognize that the arts are essential. We’re standing in defiance of this trend to elevate, celebrate, and protect arts education.”